Flashlight attachment



S. F. ANDRUS FLASHLIGHT ATTACHMENT Aug. 19, 1 941.

m H d n U m. Wm e n K M 5 Z h Y B i Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1939Aug. 19,1941. 5 F, ANDRUS 2,253,315

- FLASHLIGHT ATTACHMENT Filed July 5, 193$ I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGJO.

INVENT OR.

ATTORNEY:

. SidneyI-TAndruS I Patented Aug. 19, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEFLASHLIGHT ATTACHMENT I Sidney F. Andrus, Troy Center, Wis.

Application July 5, 1939, Serial No. 282,845

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a flashlight attachment.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an attachment forconverting a flashlight at will into an lectric prod, utilizing thebatteries of the flashlight, for effectively safeguarding the holderagainst the acts of bulls and other animals.

Another object is to provide an electric prod as an attachment to aflashlight and at the same time preserve the functioning of theflashlight to light up the surrounding area.

Another object is to provide a simple and quickly applied device for useas an electric prod.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In accordance with the invention the attachment is adapted tobe securedto the flashlight casing and has an induction coil for producing a highvoltage shocking current from the relatively low voltage batterycurrent, with prongs for delivering the shocking current to an objectwhich comes into contact with the prongs.

A preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device attached to a flashlight;

Fig. 2 is a rear end view of the device;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the device and the flashlightillustrating the construction;

Fig. 4 is a front end view of the device;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the head of the device on theline 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5,inclusive;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified embodiment;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through the device of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 10 is the wiring diagram for the device of Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive.

The flashlight l employed may be of the usual two or three cellconstruction, having a cylindrical casing 2 containing th batteries 3and a reflector 4 containing the usual light bulb 5. The hand switch 6(.J the casing serves to close and open the flashlight circuit, Various,detail constructions may be had depending upon the -make of theflashlight, but it is a feature of the present invention that theattachment is applicable to most any standard flashlight.

The attachment has a casing I which is tubular Y a vibrator 32 and acondenser 33.

and is securedto the flashlight casing 2 by means of metal clamps B. Thecasing 1 preferably extends parallel to the flashlight, and has a maintubular body 9 of about the same diameter, a smaller tubular extensionIn from a foot to two feet long, and a head I l of about the samediameter as the body and carrying the pointed prongs I2 which serve asthe electrodes for shocking the object. f

The attachment is electrically connected to the flashlight by means ofan insulating disk l3 which is inserted between the end of battery 3 andthe base of bulb 5. The disk l3 has a metal insert M at the center whichserves to conduct the current from the battery to the bulb so as not tointerfere with the use of the flashlight. A lead conductor I5 is securedto the insert l4 and extends radially in disk 13 and out through anopening I6 punched or drilled in the casing 2 of the flashlight.

The wire is secured to one terminal ll of a switch IS on tube Hi, theother terminal IQ of the switch accommodating the lead wire 20 passingthrough an opening 2| into tube l0 and to the head II. The switch 18 ispreferably of the sliding contact type so that it will automaticallystay in either open or closed position as it is manually operated.

The return connection to the flashlight battery 3 is by means of thecasing 1 serving as a ground through clamps 8, casing 2 and the spiralcontact spring 22 pressed against the rear end of the battery 3 bytheusual threaded cap 23 of the flashlight.

The body 9 of the attachment comprises a metal tube having a rearclosure plate 24 and. secured at its forward end in the enlargedtelescoping end of tube Ill by means of set screws 25. The body 9contains an induction coil 26 mounted in an insulating tubular casing 21which fits snugly into the body. The casing 21 has an end plate 28 atthe rear provided with a spring contact member 29. which engages theplate 24 and urges the casing 21 forward against the shoulder 30 of tube10. The forward end of casing 21 may have a disk 3| pressing against theshoulder 30. 1

The forward end of casing 21 is provided with a space ahead of the coil26 for accommodating The vibrator and condenser are separated by aninsulating disk 34 secured to casing 21 and having a flange 35 servingto definitely space the same from coil 26. The disk 34 also carries anumber of electrical connections as will'be described hereinafter.

The tube l serves to space the prongs l2 a suitable distance ahead ofthe operator and also contains the wire connections for energizing theprongs, these wires being slack in the tube so that the respective ends9 and II may be removed from the enlarged ends of the tube withoutdifflculty.

The head comprises a plug 36 of heavy insulating material held in theenlarged forward end of the tube ID by suitable set screws 31. The

plug 36 has a circumferential skirt 38 engaging an insulating disk 39held in place by set screws 40 and having a flange 4| engaging theshoulder 42 of tube I0.

The prongs l2 are mounted in the plug 36, one of th prongs being boltedthrough the plug and securely held to it by nut 43, and the other pronghaving a reduced shank 44 passing through the plug with a nut 45 on itsend disposed to allow limited longitudinal movement of the prong in theplug. This movable prong is normally held in outwardly extended positionby a spring contact member 46 secured by the binding post 41 to disk 39.

The electrical circuits and connections for the attachment are clearlyillustrated in Figures 3 to 6, inclusive. The primary circuit startswith lead wire 20 entering tube i0 through opening 2| and passingforward to connect with a binding post terminal 48 in disk 39 and inline with the movable prong. The head of the terminal 48 is normally outof contact with the spring contact 46, but when the movable prong ispressed interminal 48 thereby closing a switch formed by these parts andthe primary circuit continues from terminal 48 through contact 45 toterminal 41.

A lead wire 49.0onnected to terminal 41 passes back through tube ID to acentral terminal 50 in disk 34. The vibrator 32 has a spring armaturenormally engaging the head of terminal 50 and suitably secured to abinding post terminal 52 in disk 34. A primary lead 53 connects theterminal 52 to the primary winding 54 of coil 26. A return lead 55 atthe other end of the coil connects the primary winding 54 with thecontact member 29 which serves to provide the ground return aspreviously described to battery 3.

The closing of switch i8 and pressing of the prongs against an objectcloses the primary circuit above described and energizes the primarywinding 54 of the coil 26. This causes the magnet core 56 of the coil toattract the armature 5| thereby separating the latter from terminal 58and interrupting the primary circuit. This deenergizes the primarywinding 54 allowing the armature 5| to return to normal position incontact with terminal 50 and again closing the primary circuit.

The operation of the device thereby effects a rapid vibrating ofarmature 5| and consequent rapid cycles of energizing and de-energizingof winding 54. The condenser 33 is connected across the terminals 58 and52 by leads 51 to prevent sparking between armature 5| and the terminal50 as the circuit is broken.

The coil 26 is further provided with a secondary winding 58 connected toterminal 50 and to a binding post 59 in disk 34. A wire 60 leads frompost 59 through tube I 0 to a terminal 6| in disk 39 in head H. Theterminal 6| is in line with the stationary prong and an extension 62 ofthe latter extends into an opening through terminal GI and makeselectrical contact with the terminal.

The secondary circuit of the attachment is as follows: from winding 58to terminal 50 through wire 49 to terminal 47, through spring contact 43to movable prong I2 and object to be shocked, back through the fixedprong H to terminal 6|, wire 50 and terminal post 59 to the secondarywinding 58.

The secondary winding 58 is of many turns of wire as compared to theprimary winding 54 so that the voltage is stepped up from the normalbattery voltage to a very high voltage preferably between 400 and 2000volts for the shocking curren Referring to the modified form illustratedin Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, the attachment extends at right angles tothe axis of the flashlight and is of simpler design, elminating the longtube between head and body and eliminating the movable prong switch inthe primary circuit.

A channel base 53 is clamped by bands 64 and bolts 55 to the flashlightcasing. An insert strip 56 of insulating material is secured to theflashlight beneath the base 63 and carries a trigger switch 51 formanual closing of the primary circuit.

The channel base 63 is preferably U-shaped as shown to allow the fingersof the operator to extend between it and the flashlight to firmly gripthe latter. A threaded cap 68 is suitably secured in base 63 and isadapted to receive the inner end of the tubular body 59 of theattachment.

The induction coil 18 housed in the insulating casing H is similar tocoil 26. The vibrator 12 and condenser 13 are in the lower end of easingH. The ground connection for the primary winding 54 of coil 19 is bylead 15 and screw 16 in the outer metal casing 69.

The secondary winding 11 of the coil 10 has its leads directly connectedto the fixed prongs 18 in plug 19 at the outer end of casing 69. Theplug 19 does not need to be as thick as plug 36 since in this case both.prongs are stationary. The plug 19 has a skirt 80 engaging the casing Hof the coil to hold the latter against endwise displacement and setscrews 8| hold the plug 19 in place.

The circuits of this construction are substantially the same as those ofFig. 6 with the exception that the switch provided by the movable prongis eliminated and the device operates whenever the operator presses thetrigger switch 57 to closing position.

Various modifications may be provided within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the accompanying claims.

The invention is hereby claimed a follows:

1. In combination with a flashlight having a battery, a light bulb andcircuit for energizing the latter from the former, an attachmentcomprising a casing detachably secured to the flashlight and containingan induction coil, means including a switch for connecting the primarywinding of the coil to the flashlight battery without interfering withthe flashlight circuit, means in said primary circuit of the coil forrapidly interrupting the primary circuit, and a pair of prongs providingterminals for the secondary winding of the induction coil anddisposed'to be pressed into contact with an object to be shocked.

2. In a unitary attachment adapted to be removably secured to theoutside of a flashlight,

an induction coil having a vibratory armature cuit, and means forclosing said switch when an.

object presses against said prongs.

3. In a unitary attachment adapted to be re movably secured to theoutside of a flashlight, an,

induction coil having a vibratory armature and a primary and a secondarywinding, means for connecting said primary winding to the terminalsofthe flashlight battery, means connecting said secondary winding to apair of prongs constituting a prod disposed toapply a shock of highpotential to an object coming in contact therewith and a switch in saidprimary circuit.

4. In combination with a flashlight having a tubular casing containing abattery and light bulb, a second tubular casing clamped to the firstcasing and containing a transformer coil having primary and secondarywindings, means connecting the primary winding to the battery, a pair ofprongs mounted on said second named casing and connected to thesecondary winding for applying a shocking current to, an object, andmeans for rapidly interrupting the primary current to produce a highpotential current in the secondary.

5. In combination with a flashlight having a tubular casing containing abattery and light bulb, a second tubular casing clamped to the firstcas- -ing and containing a transformer coil having pri- 6. Incombination with a flashlight having a tubular casing containing abattery and light bulb, a second tubular casing clamped to the firstcasing and containing a transformer coil having primary and secondarywindings, means connecting the primary winding to the battery, saidsecond named casing extending at right angles to the axis of said firstnamed casing, a pair 01' prongs mounted on the outer end of said secondnamed casing and connected to the secondary winding for applying ashocking current to an object, and meansfor rapidly interrupting theprimary current to produce a high potential cur rent in the secondary.

7. In combination with an electric flashlight having a battery and alight bulb with the base .of the latter engaging one terminal of thebattery, an attachment fastened to the flashlight and having electricalconnections with the battery thereof, said electrical connectionscomprising an insulating disk having a central metal insert disposedbetween the base of the bulb and the central terminal of the battery, alead connected to said insert and passing out through an opening in theflashlight casing to the attachment, and a return ground connectionthrough the flashlight casing to the other terminal of the battery.

8. In combination with an electric flashlight having a casing'containing a battery and a light bulb with the base of the latterengaging the central terminal of the battery, an attachment comprising acasing fastened to the flashlight casing and providing prod terminalsand means in said casing for applying a high potential currenttheretofrom the flashlight battery, and electrical connections betweensaid means and said battery comprising an insulating disk having acentral metal insert disposed between the base of the bulb and thecentral terminal of the battery, a lead connected to said insert andpassing out through an opening in the flashlight casing to said meansinthe attached casing, and a return ground connection through the twocasings to the other terminal of the battery.

SIDNEY F. ANDRUS.

